monium cum dicta domina Catherina contractum, fuisse et esse nulla prorsus et de jure invalida, atque eadem sic fuisse et esse per suam sententiam definitivam seu finale decretum declarasset pronuntiasset et definivisset, si privati quidem affectus et respectus humani non obstitissent. Nos igitur Franciscus Francorum rex antedictus ut justum veritati suffragium ferentes, simul et justissimæ charissimi fratris nostri causæ patrocinemur notum facimus et in publicam testationem deduci volumus per præsentes; quod nos primam quidem dictam dispensationem quæ ab dicto Julio secundo ut prædicitur emanavit, nullam prorsus ac minus validam, et ex dictis causis inefficacem irritam et inanem fuisse semper et esse. Deinde ipsum matrimonium quod ejusdem dispensationis virtute cum dicta domina Catherina olim de facto contractum fuit, incestuosum nullum ac omnino illegitimum, ac naturali juri et divino contrarium fuisse et esse, ac pro incestuoso, nullo minusque legitimo haberi debere. Denique dictam dominam Mariam ex eo matrimonio ut præmittitur susceptam prorsus illegitimam et ad succedendam in paterna hæreditate prorsus inhabilem fuisse et esse, et pro tali haberi censerique debere reputamus, acceptamus, judicamus, asserimus, censemus et affirmamus. Similiter reputamus, acceptamus, judicamus, asseremus, censemus et affirmamus quod matrimonium illud quod idem serenissimus rex ac charissimus frater noster cum præfata illustrissima domina Anna contraxit, fuit et est modis omnibus sacrosanctum legitimum et validum, et quod proles ex eodem matrimonio suscepta seu suscipienda, maxime autem dicta clarissima domina Elisabetha nunc Angliæ princeps ex iisdem ut præfertur procreata ad omnem juris effectum legitima fuit et est eritque et esse debet. Quodque non solum omnia et singula quæ dictus serenissimus rex et charissimus frater noster pro confirmando et stabiliendo hujusmodi matrimonio suo quod cum præfata illustrissima domina Anna Angliæ regina contraxit, nec non pro dictæ dominæ Elisabethæ filiæ suæ ac aliorum liberorum qui ex hoc matrimonio procreabuntur legitima et hereditaria in regnum successione statuit, ordinavit aut promulgavit, justissimis et æquissimis fundamentis innitantur et subsistant. Verum etiam quod omnia et singula sententiæ censuræ et decreta ac alia quicunque processus et judicia contra præmissa ac eorum occasione per bonæ memoriæ Clementem nuper pontificem Romanum, aut alium quemcunque judicem, sive aliam

autoritatem quamcunque facta edita aut promulgata, aut in posterum edenda, ferenda, facienda sive promulganda sunt ipso jure nulla irrita injusta et iniqua, ac pro talibus haberi, reputari ac judicari et censeri debere, certo credimus, constanter attestamur, censemus, asserimus et affirmamus per præsentes. Promittimus insuper in fide ac verbo regio ac sub hypotheca omnium bonorum nostrorum patrimonialium et fiscalium, nec non bonorum subditorum nostrorum etiam in forma contractus guarantitii paratam executionem habentes, obligamus nos, hæredes et successores nostros dicto serenissimo Henrico charissimo fratri nostro hæredibus et successionibus suis, quod nos hanc animi nostri sententiam et judicium quod super præmissis nos habere vere et ex animo declaravimus, semper et ubique locorum maxime autem in omnibus et singulis futuris synodis aut conciliis generalibus et coram quibuscunque judicibus, nec non apud et contra omnes homines quicunque eidem sententiæ nostræ quacunque ratione adversabuntur, cujuscunque autoritatis præeminentiæ aut dignitatis, etiam si supremæ fuerint, per nos ac nostros subditos quoscunque tam in judicio, quam extra, manu tenebimus propugnabimus, ac si opus fuerit etiam manu forti defendemus ac pro viribus justificabimus, nec ullo unquam modo aut tempore in posterum publice aut occulte directe aut indirecte eidem sententiæ nostræ contraveniemus, nec quicquam unquam attentabimus moliemur aut faciemus, nec ab aliis in posterum cujuscunque autoritatis fuerint fieri aut attentari quantum in nobis est permittemus quod in irritationem, enervationem, præjudicium, aut in contrarium huic nostræ sententiæ cedat, aut cedere possit quovis modo. In cujus rei testimonium, &c.

XXXVIII.

The Opinion of certain of the Bishops and Clergy touching a
General Council, in the reign of King Henry VIII.

28.

Though, that in the old times, when the empire of Rome Paper-office. had his ample dominion over the most part of the world, the first four general councils, which at all times have been of most estimation in the Church of Christ, were called and gathered by the emperor's commandment, and for a godly intent, that heresies might be extinct, schisms put away, good order and manners in the ministers of the Church, and the people of the

John xx. 22, 23.

same established: like as many councils more were called till now of late, by the negligence as well of the emperor as other princes, the bishop of Rome hath been suffered to usurp this power; yet now, forasmuch that the empire of Rome and the monarchy of the same has no such general dominion, but that many princes have absolute power in their own realms, and a whole entire monarchy, no other prince may by his authority call a general council: but that if any one or more of these princes, for the establishing of the faith, for the extirpation of schisms, do lovingly, charitably, with a good sincere intent to a sure place, require any other prince,—or the rest of the great princes be content to agree, that, for the wealth, quietness, and tranquillity of all Christian people, by his or their free consent a general council might be assembled,—that prince or those princes, so required, are bound by order of charity, for the good fruit that may come of it, to condescend and agree thereunto, having no lawful impediment nor just cause to the contrary. The chief causes of the general councils are before expressed.

-In all the ancient councils of the Church, in matters of the faith, and in interpretation of Scripture, no man made definite subscription but bishops and priests, forasmuch as the declaration of the Word of God pertains unto them.

The words of John, in his 20th chapter,-" Sicut misit me Pater, et ego mitto vos," &c.-have no respect to a king's or prince's power; but only to show how that the ministers of the Word of God, chosen and sent for that intent, are the messengers of Christ, to teach the truth of his Gospel, and to "loose" and " bind " sin, &c., as Christ was the messenger of his Father. The words also of St. Paul, in the 20th chapter Acts xx. 28. of the Acts,-" Attendite vobis et universo gregi in quo vos

Spiritus Sanctus posuit episcopos, regere Ecclesiam Dei,”were spoken unto the bishops and priests, to be diligent pastors of the people, both to teach them diligently, and also to be circumspect that false preachers should not seduce the people, as follows immediately after in the same place. Other places of Scripture declare the highness and excellency of Christian princes' authority and power; the which, of a truth, is most high; for he hath power and charge generally over all, as well bishops and priests as others. The bishops and priests have charge of souls within their own cures, power to minister sacraments, and to teach the Word of God: to the which

Word of God Christian princes knowledge themselves subject; and in case the bishops be negligent, it is the Christian prince's office to see them do their duty.

T. Cant.

Jo. London.

Cuthbert Dunelm.
Jo. Bath et Well.

Thom. Elien.

Johannes Bangor.

Nicolaus Sarisburien.

Hugo Wygorn.

Johannes Roffen.

Willielmus Abbas Monasterii

Sancti Benedict.

Robertus Aldrydg.

Ricardus Coren.

Edvardus Leyghton.

In a paper drawn up in a fair hand against the pope's usurp ation, and concerning the authority of general councils, these two propositions, amongst others, occur:—

E. vi.

"1. That a general council, lawfully convened, is and ought Cotton. to be superior to all jurisdictions (either usurped and suffered Libr. Cleop. as the papal, or justly holden as the king's), in all matters con- fol. 329. cerning the faith and direction of the whole Church of Christ, which ought to be judged thereby, and by the decrees of the same, only and by none other, they being consonant to the law of Christ.

"2. That princes have two ways principally, when none other can prevail, to attain right: i. e. in causes concerning the soul, being mere spiritual appellation to a general council; in temporal causes, the sword only, except by mediation of friends the matter may be compounded."

This paper seems to have been written soon after the king had appealed from the pope to a general council.

XXXIX.

Henricus Octavus Dei gratia Angliæ et Franciæ Rex, Fidei Defensor, Dominus Hyberniæ, ac in terris sub Christo Ecclesia Anglicana Supremum Caput. Pio et Christiano Lectori. Responsio Quandoquidem nulli obscurum esse potest, quam indefesse, H. 8. Regis et sedulo, Christi honorem et gloriam, deinde sacrosancti Angliæ ad Evangelii cursum, dignitatem, lucem, et ornamentum quærere, Papalem illustrare, ornare, promovereque ac propagare ad reipublicæ Paper-office.

Bullam

Pauli tertii.

29.

Christianæ usum et commodum, nostrique regni Anglicani fructum et incrementum, omni qua potuimus sinceritate, veritate, ope, industria, et diligentia, semper et ubique studuerimus, ac nunc etiam non omnino negligimus, præsertim reputantes quantum ex officio divinitus demandato nobis sit injunctum, quamque dura et acerba administrati principatus ratio, a nobis tandem sit exigenda, visum est non admodum absurdum, (quanquam profecto ut libere et ex animi sententia loquamur, minime necessarium, utpote orbi universo, quantumlibet tacentibus nobis, clarius ac manifestius, quam vel ut a nobis dicendum sit, vel ut ab aliis honeste ac probe dissimulari, possit) testimonio præsentium fidem facere; primum principibus Christianis, deinde reliquis orthodoxis omnibus quotquot veritatem, non autem simulationem amplectuntur, nos nullo unquam tempore recusasse, aut subterfugisse, liberum, verum, purum, catholicum, pium, christianum et sincerum ac generale concilium; quinimmo sæpe id et per quam anxie, tum propter communem Ecclesiæ salutem, et utilitatem, tum propter morum et abusuum in Ecclesia reformationem ac emendationem, summis votis expetivisse, quemadmodum una nobis cum certum est bonos viros omnes, apud omnes gentes cum totis studiis expetere quis enim, præsertim ista tempestate, hoc turbulentissimo tempore, non vere id et ex animo expeteret? non efflagitaret et non omnibus denique votis exposceret? quando Christi, ejusque sponsæ Ecclesiæ vera doctrina, quæ Christianorum omnium pabulum esse debet, prorsus est profligata, oppressa, et proculcata; quando Christi fides, et religio, tot, tamque indignis modis est tractata foedataque: quando sit ubique, et tam impune impietas in Christi contemptum, et ignominiam, grassatur, et regnat : denique cum sursum ac deorsum volvuntur omnia.

Verum ut in liberum ac pium concilium hujusmodi, hactenus semper propensi fuimus, et in præsenti sumus, erimusque, præterea (Deo vitam prorogante et cœptis nostris feliciter aspirante) omnino in futuro; quo scilicet tranquillitas Ecclesiæ Catholicæ restituatur, et salubris aliqua medicina afflictis rebus opem ferat: ita in concilium violentum, impium, insincerum, nefarium, et illegitimum, neque ipsi consentiemus, neque authoris erimus amicis, ut ipsi rei tam impiæ tamque periculosæ temere unquam consentiant :

Cum itaque nuper fama et rumore, magis quam certa aliqua.